The goal of carrying out this work was to identify potential application areas for augmented reality (AR) in pilot education by addressing gender preferences. Like the field of engineering, the aviation industry is dominated by men. Because the aviation industry forecasts a high demand for pilots, it is highly desirable to address gender diversity and improve teaching methods in pilot education. In this study, potential application areas for AR-supported pilot training were investigated by conducting a survey with 60 pilots and flight instructors (including 12 women). Typical AR use cases were presented in videos, and the pilots reported their preferences regarding similar or other AR applications used in different parts of the flight training program. AR navigation was the use case that was most frequently preferred by both female and male pilots. The majority of pilots agreed that AR could potentially be used in theoretical instruction, pre-flight aircraft inspection, and procedure training. In addition, both gender groups showed similar preferences for various gaming concepts that make learning more interesting and engaging, such as receiving positive feedback. However, a higher percentage of women than men reported that achieving a target or receiving points to successfully finish a task and answering questions during the game were satisfying. Including a story in the game to attract attention was preferred by a higher percentage of men than women. The results of this study can be used to design AR educational concepts that support gender diversity in pilot education and other technical domains.

This study explored novel mixed reality (MR) use cases for pilot training using a mix of methods rooted in the general innovation theory of dynamic capabilities. The aim was to identify areas of improvement for various aspects of the flight training based on MR, in a socially and economically sustainable manner. Multiple surveys and workshops have been conducted with flight instructors, administrative staff, pilots and student pilots. The main result of this study is a systematic identification of the three most promising MR use cases: interactive theory training, cockpit procedure, and outside check training. These results are important because they inform the development of technical didactic tools for pilot training. The applicability of MR technologies to accommodate diverse user needs and preferences is addressed, while also considering aspects of economical sustainability.

For flying all types of turbine-engine airplanes, a pilot must undergo an intense type rating (TR) course. This study investigated the learning conditions and TR course content, and specifies the most difficult course elements that could be tackled by augmented reality (AR) applications. Because women are underrepresented in the worldwide pilot population, it is important to address gender-specific preferences and needs in the development of AR-based wearable technologies for advanced pilot training. A gender-sensitive survey of the learning conditions and course contents was conducted with 31 pilots and 22 instructors. Despite many similarities, the results confirm that there are gender-specific needs and preferences for the development of future AR-based applications for TR training. In addition, the views of both pilots’ and instructors’ are required to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the learning contents and conditions related to TR. The results also show that time pressure increased the perceived difficulty of the course for some trainees. These results are important because they indicate the directions to be taken in developing future AR-based training applications for a more learner-centered and inclusive TR training. Future directions to foster a socially sustainable development of AR-based training means for TR with special focus on gender diversity are presented.

Mid-air collision is one of the top safety risks in general aviation. This study addresses the description and experimental assessment of multimodal Augmented Reality (AR) applications for training of traffic procedures in accordance with Visual Flight Rules (VFR). AR has the potential to complement the conventional flight instruction by bridging the gap between theory and practice, and by releasing students’ time and performance pressure associated with a limited simulator time. However, it is critical to assess the impact of AR in the specific domain and to identify any potential negative learning transfer. Multimodal AR applications were developed to address various areas of training: guidance and feedback for the correct scanning pattern, estimation if an encountering traffic is on collision course and application of the relevant rules. The AR applications also provided performance feedback for collision detection, avoidance and priority decisions. The experimental assessment was conducted with 59 trainees (28 women, 31 men) assigned to an experimental group (AR training) and a control group (simulator training). The results of tests without AR in the flight simulator show that the group that trained with AR obtained similar levels of performance like the control group. There was no negative training effect of AR on trainees’ performance, workload, situational awareness, emotion nor motivation. After training the tasks were perceived as less challenging, the accuracy of collision detection has improved, and the trainees reported less intense negative emotions and fear of failure. Furthermore, a scanning pattern test in AR showed that the AR training group performed the scanning pattern significantly better than the control group. In addition, there was a significant gender effect on emotion, motivation and preferences for AR features, but not on performance. Women liked the voice interaction with AR and the compass hologram more than men. Men liked the traffic holograms and the AR projection field more than women. These results are important because they provide experimental evidence for the benefits of multimodal AR applications that could be used complementary to the flight simulator training.

Augmented reality applications have the potential to change the learning experience and outcomes for the next generation of pilots. This study aimed at identifying learning issues related to ab initio flight training and exploring the potential of augmented reality in tackling them. A survey was conducted with 43 pilots (31 men, 12 women) and seven flight instructors (six men, one woman). The results show the contents of the ab initio flight course that were most difficult to learn according to the pilots’ and instructors’ experience. In addition, the participants assessed the training conditions they experienced. After familiarization with typical use cases of augmented reality, the pilots and flight instructors indicated flight training elements that could benefit from augmented reality. The results are used to specify a research agenda for developing augmented reality applications for future ab initio pilot training.